To TAMU or not to TAMU? That is the question.

​Many anxious seniors (and their parents) have been glued to their Howdy portals awaiting their admissions decisions. Unfortunately, many of those still waiting at this point, will receive disappointing news. In fact, only about 30-35% of students who are not accepted as an automatic academic admit will receive any type (including Blinn TEAM, PSA, Gateway) of acceptance. Texas A&M has experienced a huge increase in the number of applicants in recent years, and many factors play into the competitiveness of gaining one of those spots. There are several options for those die-hard Aggies who do not get some type of offer. Students can transfer with 24 (completed at the time of application) hours. The required GPA will depend upon the major, but a minimum 3.0 GPA should be the standard. Another option is to apply to Texas A&M Galveston. This is not a program campus (as opposed to Texas A&M Corpus Christi and others). Students here bleed maroon, have yell practice, and graduate with a degree from Texas A&M. There are only a handful of majors offered here, and all relate in some way to marine and aquatic-type studies. Students wishing to change to the College Station campus can do so by requesting a change of major and meeting the requirements of the department. Usually these requirements are similar to what is required of a transfer student. Another option, that I do not recommend, is to attend Blinn in College Station and transfer in. While many students have the great intentions of staying disciplined and goal-oriented so that they can make a smooth transfer, many, many more just do not have the discipline and work ethic to make this transfer a reality. In fact, I know of far too many sad stories of students ending up back at home as a result of a few poor choices while in College Station. Statistically, less than 20% of students who begin at a community college will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in the next six years! The stats for open enrollment schools, like Blinn, are not much better at only about 30%. Those are not great statistics. I wish more people would open up their minds and hearts to the many other great schools in Texas and surrounding states. There are some great schools that may even be a better fit. Texas A&M after all is a giant university, and despite the great Aggie traditions, the campus does lack that close-knit community feel that many other smaller universities can offer. I know, for many, this is where mom and dad went, and Aggie football has become a family tradition. The good news is, these traditions can continue even if you don’t go to Texas A&M.